The Cost of Freedom
by mangokhaoniaow
Summary: Raven knew that everything in life came with a price. It was a lesson she was forced to learn time and time again.


The more logical part of her knew she had nothing to gain from this venture. She had heard the words right from her own brother's mouth. Qrow was many things: a fool, a drunkard, even a liar - but he was not heartless enough to lie about this.

" _I just thought you should know,"_ he had said, looking more weary than she could ever remember seeing. He left without another word.

And as she gripped the guard of her sheathed sword, the only thing she could register was the need to see her partner again.

Raven had used her semblance countless times and it required little effort now - just a simple swing of her sword and a few steps forward. But it felt like she was moving in slow motion as she drew her weapon and made a shaky slice in the air before her.

She stepped forward and the scenery of one of Mistral's many forests fell away. As she emerged from the portal, instantly she felt the sharp bite of winter on her cheeks and the crunch of fresh snow under her boots.

Summer's favorite lookout.

The sun was setting on Patch, casting soft hues on the blanket of snow that covered the quiet island. The silence was almost solemn, as if the entire island and its inhabitants mourned the loss of Summer Rose. That, she supposed, wasn't impossible. Summer's very existence brought warmth and with her passing, it would be no exaggeration to say the world had lost some of its light.

She cursed the small part of herself that had hoped to find a billowing white cape and mischievous silver eyes waiting at the other end of the portal. She hated that she was wrought with grief as she caught the sight of a lonely headstone at the edge of the cliff.

After what must have been an eternity, she walked cautiously towards the slab of stone and knelt in front of it, almost afraid to disturb the silence any further. With a shaky hand, she brushed off the thin layer of snow.

A choked, humourless laugh burst from her chest as she saw a familiar rose etched onto its face and read the elegantly inscribed words:

 _Summer Rose_

 _Thus kindly I scatter_

Any foolish, lingering hope she had that her older partner was still alive was crushed the moments her eyes landed on the grave. But a fresh wave of sorrow overwhelmed her as she read and reread the words. How had the best huntress Raven had ever known been reduced to a stone and a few words?

Despite the bone chilling temperature that had only dropped as the sun slowly descended, Raven could feel warmth blooming behind her eyes.

She almost laughed again - what right did she even have to cry?

She had left so that she could be free of Ozpin's futile war against Salem - the war he was all too willing to drag others into. At the time, she had thought the rest of them were foolish for not leaving too. Raven had seen far to much to believe Salem was a force that could be stopped - that this was a story with a happy ending.

But if she had stayed, would Summer still be alive? The thought had crossed her mind countless times since her brother had given her the news and she could think of nothing else now.

Her thoughts were disturbed by the sound of crunching snow behind her - the only other sounds since she had arrived. Quickly, she transformed into her birdform and retreated to a nearby tree.

Now closer, she could hear footsteps and the rustle of bushes.

After a few moments of waiting, a figure emerged from the treeline.

She was a small girl, draped in an overly large red cloak. Her hair was short, dark and red-tipped at the end. The girl was the spitting image of Summer and her heart clenched at the sight of tears rolling down her cheeks.

Another young girl emerged from behind her and Raven couldn't tear her eyes away from the newcomer. She hadn't seen her since she left but Raven had no doubt about the girl's identity.

Yang wore her golden hair in pigtails, her lilac eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She wrapped an arm around the younger girl, obviously trying her best to be strong.

Raven felt a strange sort of pride as she looked at her daughter's brave face.

"It's okay, Ruby…" the young girl uttered softly. "Mom might not be here anymore b-but s-she wouldn't want us to cry," Yang's voice hitched, so thick with emotion that Raven could feel it too.

 _Mom,_ Raven thought. Of course Summer would have treated Yang like she was her own daughter and of course Yang had loved Summer in return. Unlike her, Summer would have been an amazing mother - patient, kind, and loving.

It occurred to her then that her actions had robbed these two young girls of their mother. And for Yang, she had taken a mother away from her twice.

Raven sat silently, watching as Yang comforted her younger sister. When the pair had finally began to visibly shiver, she coaxed Ruby back down the path they had come from. Raven followed them with a watchful eye but there wasn't a single Grimm in sight.

She thought of her brother, of Tai, of Summer's daughter, and of her own. Nothing in life was free, it was a lesson she had learned time and time again.

 _This,_ she thought bitterly,had been the cost of her freedom.


End file.
